Shippers Urge Higher Truck Weight

As Congress considers two bills related to highway safety, shippers are urging lawmakers to pass the one that allows heavier trucks for what they say will be safer, greener, more efficient shipping.

The Coalition for Transportation Productivity, an alliance of more than 100 shippers and allied associations, sent a letter Monday to members of the U.S. House of Representatives to encourage their support for the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act of 2009. The act (H.R. 1799) would raise the interstate vehicle weight limit. The letter also outlined objections to a rival bill, the Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act (H.R. 1618).

"The Safe and Efficient Transportation Act gives states the authority to utilize heavier vehicles as a way to improve highway safety, reduce fuel use and emissions and give companies the opportunity to cut costs," said CTP Executive Director John Runyan. "With trucks traveling more miles than ever to meet demand, the bill would make roads safer by enabling shippers to transport more goods with fewer trucks -- reducing the vehicle miles traveled to deliver a company's products."

The letter pointed out the SETA would not allow bigger trucks but only raise the interstate weight limit for trucks that are the same size as today's 53-foot rigs. "Heavier vehicles would simply be outfitted with a sixth axle to maintain stopping distance and braking capacity,” Runyan said.

The bill would give each state the option to increase its interstate vehicle weight limit to 97,000 pounds for trucks equipped with a sixth axle for safety. Without changing truck size, the additional axle maintains current braking capacity and weight-per-tire-distribution and minimizes pavement wear. A user fee imposed by the bill would fund bridge repair.

CTP opposes the Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act because it would “freeze the weight limit on all roads in the national highway system," said Runyan. "The bill would prevent the use of innovative, heavier weight limits that let states minimize the vehicles and fuel required to deliver goods and feed ports."

Contact Thomas L. Gallagher at tgallagher@joc.com.